Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Occasionally, the head is large or may
be swollen if the ewe has been in labor for
quite a while. Assist by pushing the skin
of the vulva back over the head. When
the lamb is halfway out (past its rib cage),
the mother can usually expel it by herself,
unless she is too exhausted.
When the head is extra large, draw out
one leg a little more than the other while
working the vulva back past the top of the
lamb's head. Once the head is through,
you can extend the other leg completely
and pull out the lamb by its legs and neck. If both of the legs are pulled out
together, the thickest part of the legs comes right beside the head, making
delivery more challenging for both the ewe and you.
With a diffi cult, large lamb, use mineral oil or an antiseptic lubricant. Use
a lamb puller placed over the lamb's head so that the top of the noose is behind
the ears and the bottom of the snare is in the lamb's mouth.
Pulling gently from side to side is more helpful than pulling only outward
and downward, as in normal delivery. Gentle pulling on the head as well as
the legs is better than pulling on the legs only.
Front half of lamb out, hips stuck.
A ewe that is weary from labor may
need a little help if the lamb's hips get stuck. While pulling gently on the lamb,
swing it a bit from side to side. If this doesn't make it slip out easily, give it
about a quarter turn while pulling. A small ewe giving birth to a large lamb
often needs this kind of assistance.
In a healthy fl ock, 95 percent of
lambs should present normally,
with few assists required.
A lambing snare, which can be purchased or made at home, and a couple of soft ropes
are essential for saving lambs that have malpresented. The snare goes over the head
and in the mouth to keep the head from slipping backward or sideways while you work,
and a soft rope secures each leg. Pull in time with the ewe's contractions.